The clients, a young entrepreneurial couple, envisioned a fully equipped home in their hometown as a tribute to the mother. Beyond serving as her daily residence, the house was designed to become a gathering place where generations of the family could reunite during holidays and welcome friends and guests throughout the year.
The architects proposed dividing the house into two distinct volumes.
The front volume accommodates the family's daily life. The ground floor contains the living and dining area, mother Dinh's bedroom, and the children's bedrooms. The upper floor includes the ancestral worship room, the master bedroom, and the younger sister's bedroom.
The rear volume is dedicated to hosting guests. Its ground floor houses a karaoke room along with supporting spaces, including a laundry room and storage. Upstairs, two guest bedrooms are designed with the simplicity and comfort of hotel rooms.
By separating the two volumes, the main house remains calm and private, while guests can enjoy an independent and comfortable space without disrupting the family's everyday routine.
The two volumes are connected by a shared wet kitchen on the ground floor, complete with a separate dining area for large family meals. From the entrance, guests arriving by car can access the secondary foyer, wet kitchen, and backyard directly, without passing through the main house. Above, a tea lounge, a meditation space, and a generous greenhouse create a unique communal zone, adding another layer of experience to the villa for both children and visiting guests.
Beyond improving the functional layout, separating the house into two volumes allows every room to benefit from natural light and cross ventilation. The rear volume is slightly offset from the main house, preserving mountain views from the younger sister's bedroom. Heat gain to the main living spaces is also significantly reduced by a raised reinforced concrete roof, with a continuous gap beneath it that allows air to circulate freely.
As the house was built in the family's hometown and primarily intended for grandmother - mệ Định, the main volume draws inspiration from traditional Vietnamese architecture:
A pitched clay-tile roof and a symmetrical column system establish a familiar silhouette, while the sun-screening elements reinterpret the dại tre - the bamboo lattice commonly found in traditional houses of Northern Vietnam. Deep eaves, gently curved details, and natural timber finishes further reinforce the warmth and familiarity of the home.
In contrast, the secondary volume adopts a minimalist and rectilinear expression. Materials such as aluminum, glass, and wood-plastic composite give it a lighter, more contemporary character.
Upon completion, Nha me Dinh - Mother Dinh’s House presents a contemporary interpretation of the Vietnamese home - one that thoughtfully balances traditional architectural values with modern living solutions.
